Lecce started the season with a new chapter: Esteban made his debut as a starter in the match against Bologna, where the Salento club suffered a defeat. Coach Eusebio DiFrancesco commented on the performance at the end of the match, highlighting the areas for improvement and the need to refine decisions on the pitch.
In his speech to DAZN, DiFrancesco underlined that the difference between Lecce and Bologna lies in the quality of the players and the tactical choices. “We need to improve our choices and the last pass,” he said, recalling an episode in which the team made a climbing mistake on a restart. He also criticized his own penalty management, saying he couldn't always understand when to give them and when not to, and underlined the importance of reducing fouls in training.
The coach also spoke about Esteban, defining him as a player who "always gave his all" and who, according to him, also won the penalty during the match. “I struggle to understand when it is and when it isn't, when we decide to give it and when not,” he explained, highlighting the difficulty of judging the right punishment situation. DiFrancesco expressed frustration with the balls thrown into the area and recalled that, when playing with the ball on the ground, the team creates numerical superiority over the wingers and generates advantageous situations.
The context of the match was further complicated by Ilic's injury, which forced Lecce to review the game plan. “Ngom entered very well, but Ilic is a different player: he manages to give quality to the maneuver,” said the coach. He expressed hope that the injury is not serious, but acknowledged that the loss of such an important asset is a blow to the team.
Looking to the future, DiFrancesco said Lecce must focus on details that can make the difference in matches. "From the performance and from taking care of the details that make the difference in these matches. We cannot afford to make certain mistakes in a match like this", he concluded. With the season just starting, the Salento club will have to work on these points to try to transform the positive performances into concrete results.